


do you remember when

by translevi



Series: i've known you since before i was alive [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Auruo Bossard's Family, Auruo's gay, Levi's gay, M/M, Mutual Pining, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Trans Auruo Bossard, Trans Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Trans Male Character, auruo bites his tongue because of levi and his brother, auruo plays flappy bird, help him, they're both mutually gay for each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-17
Updated: 2016-11-17
Packaged: 2018-08-31 14:50:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8582581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/translevi/pseuds/translevi
Summary: Well that was a challenge if Auruo had ever seen one.Fuck Erd and fuck flappybird.





	

**Author's Note:**

> idk more leviruo

Levi is different. All of them are, in a way, but it is the old Levi he sees the most. There is a disconnect, between this Levi and his captain, the one he swore to follow. That Levi was distant, an unattainable goal, be it romantic or otherwise, he is unsure. He remembers _that_ version of him, that fought monsters with a vengeance; to protect his family, to protect his friends--often those two were one in the same--he fought on his own to bolster his kill count, to not get anyone else caught in it if he fucked up.

But that life is gone now, and the unattainable goal is curled up against his chest clinging to him in his sleep like he doesn’t want him to leave. He can see the way Levi’s chest rises and falls with each breath, and it comforts him to no end. Even though in that life, he’s sure he went before him. There is still a fear in the back of his mind, that he will see all 4 of them fall before he slips off the edge.

It wouldn’t be the first time.

Which is why he had called Levi last night, almost falling out of bed in his panicked haste to grab for his phone, the images of death and decay haunting his mind even after he had woken. Sweat clung to his skin, bangs plastered against his forehead ignoring the bright glare of his phone screen as he called him at-- _2:34 am God, he’d be lucky if Levi responded_ \--but he had, just like he always did and promised to be over before ending the call.

After the call was over he had just laid there for awhile, phone clutched in shaking hands before he peeled himself off the sheets to stumble over to his bedroom window and unlock it for the man currently making his way over.

Then he had collapsed in bed again, scooting onto the side of it to plug in his phone, ignoring the angry _low battery_ warning as he checked missed texts.

 

_[text: erdaconda] check it_

_[Incoming image file]_

_[text: erdaconda] new high score_

 

Well that was a challenge if Auruo had ever seen one.

Fuck Erd and fuck flappybird.

And that was how Levi found him, slipping into the room quietly and stripping down just a bit before climbing in bed with him. Thin arms wrapped around him as he focused, tapping on his screen to pilot the obnoxious fucking bird. He didn’t even have to say anything, just having Levi there pressed against him was enough to calm his racing heart. Levi’s presence is overall comforting, he’s small but his presence is not; people look to him instinctively, for guidance and reassurance, and he turns heads whenever he enters the room. It’s a trait he envies, that Levi can so flawlessly assert himself, one he wishes he shared.

But none of that matters right now, last night's terrors having vanished with the morning sun, casting lines of light onto the floor in front of the window, streaming in uncovered spots by the curtains. It’s a weekend, Levi won’t have to be home for awhile, although he’ll probably want to shower soon after he wakes up, so he might be out the door headed for home before Auruo can get another word in.

Him and Petra were too damn alike sometimes, headstrong, short, and stubborn; his ultimate weakness. But then Levi nuzzles closer to him in his sleep and he goes still, breath caught in his throat as he stares down at the man in his arms. Levi actually looks peaceful when he’s asleep, unbothered by memories of what has been, reminders of what will be, and other little things that plague him day to day. Levi doesn’t get a lot of sleep, he knows that as fact, and he’s pretty sure he didn’t get a lot of sleep in that life either; so to see him so unguarded is rare.

He trusts him, Auruo knows that, and the weight of it settles heavy in his heart, dragging him down towards whatever hell Levi is living in; and he goes willingly.

He can hear the rest of the house stirring around them, brothers getting out of bed to race downstairs for saturday cartoons, parents waking up to diligently watch and get breakfast ready. In another from 15 to 25 minutes a shrieking child will be sent up to throw open his bedroom door and yell his name to tell him that breakfast is ready. On another saturday, he might get up now to avoid the ear-splitting shriek of his name, but right now he feels content to just stay in bed with Levi warm under the blankets separating them and the rest of the world.

* * *

He’s not sure how quickly time passes as he lays there, running his fingers through Levi’s thin hair and smiling with unconcealed fondness at what he can still see of his face against his chest, but before he knows it 20 minutes have passed and a screaming child is flinging open his door.

Levi’s eyes are open in a flash, and he jerks up, ramming the top of his head into Auruo’s chin, cutting him off mid-word and making him bite his tongue. His brother flees the scene of his crime immediately, ignored the pained groan of his sibling and Levi’s hissed swear words as he apologizes.

5 minutes later they are both downstairs, Levi dressed in a sweatshirt and sweatpants of Auruo’s so that he didn’t have to wear his clothes from the night before, ignoring the pained throw of his head while Auruo mournfully rubs the side of his cheek, waiting for his tongue to stop bleeding.

His mother takes Levi’s unexpected appearance in stride as she normally does, with only a welcoming smile on her face and a reminder to let his mother and uncle know where he is before allowing him and Auruo to take their plates to the living room and avoid the ruckus of his 5 younger brothers.

Levi is quick to run back upstairs for his phone, with only a call back down to Auruo to watch his plate so that Mr. Paws, their labeagle mix, wouldn’t steal anything. However Mr. Paws seemed to be distracted in the kitchen, more interested in the messy younger kids than the older ones.

It takes some digging through the couch cushions, but Auruo finally founds the tv remote and has about 3 minutes of a nice war documentary before Levi snatches the remote from his hand and changes it to _Law & Order _throwing a playful smile over at Auruo before sitting down on the opposite end of the couch and grabbing his plate.

Auruo can’t find it within him to complain.

After breakfast Levi abandons him on the couch, grabbing both of their plates before heading into the kitchen to offer his help with cleaning up breakfast. His mother allows it, but only so Levi won’t feel guilty for ‘imposing’ on them; which leaves Auruo alone to wrangle his brothers.

Half an hour later they’re back in Auruo’s room, with Levi pulling on his clothes from last night and Auruo getting dressed with him.

“You don’t have to walk back with me.” Levi offers, tugging his binder back on over his head.

“What kinda man would I be if I let someone as lovely as yourself walk home alone in the cold?”

Levi flicks him in the arm for that; all Auruo does is grin.

They’re quick to race down the stairs and are out the door with only a call of “be right back” from Auruo to his mom before the cold air surrounds them and they press closer together.

It’s only a 10 minute walk at most from Auruo’s house to Levi’s, but in the cold it seems to take longer, although Auruo doesn’t mind.

Auruo talks, it’s what he does, to fill the silence, to calm himself, to calm others; he talks, and he does so now. Levi seems content to listen to him ramble, hood of their jacket pulls up around them, head turned towards Auruo to listen better.

Neither of them have gloves, and pockets can only do so much. His fingers are already going numb as he talks, using his hands to gesture and explain better. He has to stop briefly to rub his hands together, huffing hot air onto them before he starts to continue. Levi cuts him off silently, reaching out to grab Auruo’s hand with his own, intertwining their fingers as they walk.

Auruo falters mid stride, face turning a brighter shade of red--not from the cold this time--as Levi continues walking like nothing had happened, waiting for him to continue his story.

He’s still blushing when he starts to mumble out the rest of the story, squeezing Levi’s hand.

That Levi from before, in a world of monsters and soldiers was an unattainable goal; but this Levi, that hid smiles behind his hand when he made awful puns, that grabbed his hand when no one was looking; had been his from the very start.


End file.
